The shoulder is a relatively complex joint of the body which is capable of rotation within multiple planes when the arm is displaced relative to the torso. Treatment of shoulder injury frequently requires determining a desired optimal treatment position of the shoulder and associated arm, placement of the shoulder and arm in the desired treatment position. Such a recuperative treatment is particularly applicable to soft tissue injuries involving damage to one or more connective shoulder ligaments and furthermore is often the treatment of choice following any number of surgical procedures, such as surgery for recurrent posterior subluxation, rotator cuff surgery, humeral head or shaft fracture correction, and similar.
Support devices for the shoulder, such as orthopedic braces, rigid casts, and slings are commonly used to perform the placement and immobilization. However, there remains a need for shoulder orthoses which provide greater stability, immobilization, and comfort.